


Nothing Will Change That

by JemmyMads



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Internalized Homophobia, Period-Typical Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-08-19 16:01:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8215807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JemmyMads/pseuds/JemmyMads
Summary: Talking in blanket forts is effective.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Characters might be sorta OOC, tried to get into their mind set. Feedback appreciated!

"No, the the Drower is by far the scariest!"

"No way. The Dower is defeated too easily to be scary! The Displacer Beast is the hardest to beat AND the scariest!" Lucas argued back. Dustin groaned in response and walked over to their abandoned board, shuffling through the papers to prove his point.

"Fine, but if we're going off of what's hardest to beat than the demogo...'' Dustin trailed off guiltily when Will let out a small, but audible, gasp and shuddered slightly. Mike glared over at Dustin who grimaced slightly, "Shit. Sorry Will."

Will wave him off and offered a small smile, but none of them missed how Will shrunk in his seat slightly, how his shoulders shook and his breathing was a lot quicker, or how the grip on his pencil tightened to the point that his hand was shaking. Lucas hit Dustin on the shoulder before moving quickly over to Will, where Mike had already shifted closer to their youngest friend and had his arm around the other's shoulders

"You're okay Will. We're all ok." He said, trying to reassure his friend.

Will looked up, "Seriously guys I'm fine! You don't have to worry about me anymore, I promise."

Mike gave him a look, "We don't mind worrying about you Will, it makes us feel better too."

Dustin and Lucas nodded enthusiastically. Dustin's eyes zeroed in on something sticking out of Lucas's backpack and soon the two of them were in yet another argument about whether or not Lucas had taken Dustin's X-Men comic book. Mike rolled his eyes at the two and risked a glance down at Will, who was still tucked against his side. The smaller boy was giggling softly and watching their two friends as they began shoving each other.

Mike knew Will wasn't fine. He knew that Will had panic attacks now, triggered by the most surprising things that no one would've ever thought of. He had nightmares now too, bad ones. The kind where you wake up in a cold sweat and disoriented to point that the nightmare bleeds into reality and you don't know whether or not you've woken up yet. If anyone scared Will, he would muffle his scream into his arm, so not to be heard. An old tactic from the Upside Down. Will couldn't be in small spaces after hiding in his closet, than the small cupboard, and finally Castle Byers. It's why, when its warm enough, the boys leave the basement door open. The only small place Will seems to be fine with is El's blanket fort, where he's fallen asleep several times while drawing pictures for them or talking to Mike about anything but the Upside Down. That topic was very off limits.

Without realizing it, Mike had tightened his hold on his best friend, who, in turn, looked up to him with a worried look. Mike gave him a tight smile, "Want to go to the fort and talk while those two meatheads fight over MY comic?"

Will nodded and stood up, walking over to the fort and expectantly looking over his shoulder at Mike, who scrambled to follow him. Once the pair were safely in the fort, the sheet covering the entrance and the friends under several blankets, Mike started the conversation.

"I-I want to tell you something, but please don't freak out or be disgusted or anything like that. It's just, you're a good listener and I've, uh well, I've always known that if I did decide to tell anyone then you would definitely be first because, I mean obviously, you always give good advice no matter how-"

"Mike, you're rambling. Don't be scared, just say it. I won't judge." Will cut off his pitiful rant. "C'mon, if its so important that you didn't want to say it in front of Dustin and Lucas than it must be bugging you."

Mike took a deep breath and glanced away from Will, focusing on anything but his soft brown eyes. God he really needed to say this. "Okay, I, um, I like girls and- and I like boys."

He heard the small intake of breath from Will, but the otherwise the other stayed silent. Mike's stomach dropped and he felt his heart slowly falling apart. But then a small, warm hand fit it into his own. Will was peering up at him.

"Its okay Mike." Was the only response he got, but even that made him want to sob in relief. Even if no one else accepted him, even if everyone else looked at him in disgust, he would still have Will. Will was more than enough.

They stayed like that for a long while, quiet and peaceful. Dustin and Lucas had quieted down, and now were carrying out an actual conversation with each other.

"I-I like b-boys too." Will whispered. Mike tensed in surprise and gaped at him. "I never told anyone. I didn't want what my dad said to be true. Or what Troy said. I was always so scared. I-I t-tried to s-stop it. F-for s-so long I tried t-to stop this f-f-feeling. B-but I-I n-never c-could."

Will was quietly sobbing by the end and Mike could feel tears slipping down his own cheeks. Without thinking, his arms were around Will, who shakily continued, his voice muffled from Mike's shirt.

"I-I thought a-about telling Jon-Jonathon. But I j-just c-couldn't b-because s-saying it out loud w-would m-mean it w-was true. I-I r-really was the r-reason m-my dad left. I r-really am just a-a-a screw up." He managed to choke out. Mike didn't know what to say. What could he? This situation was so absurd, so unheard of that he couldn't fathom any comforting words, so he stuck to the truth instead.

"Its going to be hard. For both of us."

Will nodded

"We can't tell anyone. Maybe eventually Dustin and Lucas. But for now it stays between us."

Will nodded again, and to Mike's relief, his sobs were subsiding to shaking breaths and small hiccups. "Mike, it was scary. And cold. And dark, so so dark."

The Upside Down.

"Will you don't have to-"

"Yes. Yes I do. I caused you guys so much pain. I'm so sorry. You at least deserve to know what happened, so ask me anything."

"That pain was worth it, because you're still alive and staying that way for as long as I can help it. And I don't want to push you, the second you don't feel like answering, tell me. Okay?"

Will nodded with a determined look. Neither boy realized that all conversation had halted outside the fort. Neither boy heard the hesitant, soft footsteps, that stopped right outside of their haven.

"How did you communicate through the lights?"

Will looked thoughtful for a second, "They turned on where ever I walked at first. But than when my mom found out I was hiding in the... well I was able to um catch on pretty quickly. Squeezing my fists caused the lights to turn on and..." 

He trailed off with a distant, glazed look to his eyes. Mike knew that was his cue to stop. Dustin and Lucas barreled into the fort, yelling profanities at the other pair and tackling them into one mass pile. The mood lightened instantly and soon, the heavy feeling that had hung over Mike for so long had completely dissipated.

Will spent the night that night, and long after Lucas had left with half of the Wheeler's chocolate cake and Dustin had left with promises of joining them in the morning, Will was finally drifting off. Mike was holding him tight, after such an emotionally draining day, the least he could was offer what little comfort he could.

"I love you Mike." Will sighed out, nuzzling his face against Mike's chest and hummed contently. Mike's eyes widened sightly and he looked at Will, but the latter was already sleeping peacefully.

"I-I love you too Will." And nothing was gonna change that.


End file.
